The Decision To Turn Pro

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If you are good at poker, you can make money at this game. However, being good at this game doesn’t always mean that you can play this game well enough on a professional level. Even if you possess a strong amount of knowledge and can beat this game, there are many other factors that you will need to understand and think about before truly playing this game on a professional level.

Poker is a business and has to be treated like one. Here are some important concepts you will need to know before opening your poker business doors.

If you can add and subtract, then you will know all about money management. If you are spending more money than you earn, you are going to run into debt. It is no different in poker. If you earn $3000 a month, but manage to spend $3200, that extra $200 has to come from somewhere. What is worse is that in poker, there is no fixed amount you will be earning each month. You might have a good month, followed by a bad month and if you do not manage your money well enough to cover for the bad months, you will find yourself in a pretty big hole. Always manage your money well and plan ahead for the months that will be slow. It is not a matter of if it will happen, because it will happen. It is only a matter of when. The key is to simply save more than you spend. That means you will have to calculate your long term $/hr earning in whatever games you choose to play and plan accordingly. If you have a great month and win a lot, keep adding it to the bankroll. If you run into a bad month, you can dig into the excess winnings earned and use it as a cushion. Managing your money well will give you great peace of mind.

This is perhaps the most underrated factor when it comes to playing professionally. As Mike stated in his last column, the games online and live today are much looser and wilder than its predecessors of the yesteryear. Wild and looser games mean that there are going to be bigger swings both in wins and losses each session. Have a sufficient bankroll ready at all times. Then if you want to play professionally, double that number. 300 big best just does not cut it anymore for being a professional as you could potentially be facing downswings of 300+ big bets. If you don’t have a sufficiently large enough bankroll to handle that downswing you will have effectively depleted your cash flow and capital and it will cripple you. Remember, you are going to be playing many hours and many hands and over the course of so many hands, you can play your best game and statistically still lose a lot over the short term.

If you have ever watched Star Trek: The Next Generation you will remember a character named Data. He had no emotions and as such remained 100% objective at all times. Data also possessed the ability to calculate equations at computer speeds. Data would make the perfect poker player. Of course, Data would be able to calculate the optimal play within micro seconds, but more importantly Data would also never be prone to tilt or other any other disturbances that humans would face. The most important factor next to proper bankroll management is to have iron clad discipline. Your focus is to always play your “A” game and there are going to be times when nothing seems to go your way and you’re game will slip to “B” level, and even your “C” game. Yes, you can call it quits if you feel you aren’t playing well and even tilting. That is definitely a great idea and I will always suggest that. However, if you keep doing that on a regular basis you are not really getting your hours played and face shorting your monthly earning expectations. Being human means you are prone to being emotional no matter how Zen-like you can be. Try to master your emotions and be disciplined at all times.

Sitting for hours and hours a day in a chair at home is bad for your back. It’s even worse if you play live, as casino poker chairs are not only bad for your back, but also for stomach as you are cramped down. Eating casino food all the time is also very unhealthy for you. What I like to do is go for a run 3 times a week along with weight training twice a week. Running or cardio is great exercise and releases endorphins which helps relieve stress and triggers happiness. Weight training is necessary so that the back and muscles to stay strong. A healthy body is as much a great investment as playing poker is in the long run if you respect and take care of it.

Boredom is one of the worse feelings that come with playing many hours of poker. When you are playing for many hours a day it is quite easy to get bored, especially if you aren’t getting any hands. Your mind may start to wander and not pay attention. You might start surfing the web, but these distractions will take your focus away from the game and as a result you might miss something important that occurred, which could be important information for you. You might also get bored of playing the game, as it becomes a “grind.” If that happens, it’s best to take a few days off and do something else.

Last, but not least, I would like to talk about balance. If poker is like a job, treat it like a job. Work the hours you need to, but don’t overdo it. If you play 16 hours of poker a day and do nothing else, it will eventually consume you. Instead of playing the game, the game will have played you. So go out there and have a life. Go out with your friends, spend time with your family, catch a movie, or go fishing. Don’t become isolated on the tables. Money is meaningless unless it has true purpose. You will be a lot happier this way.

The first year as a professional poker player usually is the hardest because there are just many unexpected things that occur. Until you’ve experienced them, you won’t know whether or not you can truly be a professional poker player. So be ready and if you do decide upon this trek, then best of luck to you!

Larry N.

The Decision To Turn Pro

Money Management.
Bankroll management
Data-like discipline.
Watch your health.
Getting bored easily.
Balance.